Saved
by JustMichaela
Summary: After helping each other one night, Elle Devereaux is thrown into Batman's world. When she becomes a target of some of Gotham's notorious, how far will Batman go to save her? Rated M for violence and mature themes. I own nothing DC Comic related.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

To say Elle Devereaux was exhausted would be an understatement. She was mentally and physically drained after her forty-eight hour shift at Gotham General Hospital. She sighed and pushed her long black hair out of her face, annoyed that it kept falling out of the hair tie, but too tired to do anything about it.

"You finally escaping this place?"

Elle jumped. She looked up and saw Dr. Aaron Price leaning over his charts.

"Oh, yeah. Three in the morning seems as good of time as any. I was supposed to be out of here yesterday," she said with a shrug.

Aaron looked up and smirked. "Isn't that how it usually goes?" He scrubbed his face with his hand and gave her a long meaningful look. "I'm actually glad I caught you. Thank you. For everything. You make my job a million times easier. You're the best nurse we have."

Elle smiled at him. Most of her female (and some male) colleagues would kill her to be in her shoes right now. Doctor Adonis didn't talk much if it didn't involve helping a patient. Elle could see what they all found attractive about him. Perfectly messy blonde hair, a killer smile, green eyes that could make almost any woman swoon. She just didn't feel anything.

"Thank you. It's nice to see a doctor appreciate a nurse. We usually don't get recognition." She said honestly.

"My mom was a nurse. You guys save the day just as much as we do. Sometimes more. Take that little girl from today for example. You saved her life. Not me. She would have died if you hadn't had been so quick on your feet."

Elle tried to keep her face blank. The kids always got her. She tried to block out the way the little girl had turned a horrible greyish blue as she struggled for air. Her mother screaming and her father sobbing as they watched their baby die was something she would have nightmares about later.

"She still smelled like the fruit. Your first guess would have been an allergic reaction too. I was just closest to her when the ambulance brought her in."

"Maybe, maybe not. Don't sell yourself short."

The sound of thunder made them both look towards the window.

"You sure you want to head out there? I can call you a cab. A dry Gotham can be dangerous. Throw some water in the mix, and it just plain sucks."

Elle chuckled. "Yeah. It's fine. The rain might feel kind of good. Besides, I only live about three blocks away."

"If you say so. Just be safe," said Aaron warily.

"Will do. See you in a couple of days Doc."

She walked through the doors before he could say anything else. When the fresh, rain scented air hit her face, she inhaled deeply. Yeah, the rain would feel amazing. She didn't bother pulling up the hood of her jacket before stepping into the downpour.

There weren't many people or cars out. Overall, it seemed pretty quiet in the city tonight. Still, she didn't want to dawdle. She wasn't asking to get mugged.

By the time she got halfway home, she was drenched. The rain felt nice but she was ready to be home. Her feet hurt, her bag was getting heavier and heavier. Sleep was going to come easy tonight.

She never realized she was being followed. She never heard the many footsteps above the noise of the water. She looked down to readjust her bag and when she looked up, she was surrounded.

Her eyes widened in shock and then fear. The first Elle noticed was the clown masks. That only meant one thing; Joker's goons.

She hugged her bag closer and looked around her. Four of them. How did I not notice them? She thought.

"Can I help you, gentlemen?" She asked as calmly as possible.

The biggest of the four stepped forward. "Oh, yeah. You see, we followed you from the hospital. Couldn't help but notice you was wearin' that doctor outfit." Elle looked and realized he meant her scrubs. "See, our boss is in rough shape after a run-in with the Bat. We need some help getting' him patched up."

While he talked, he kept getting closer and closer. Elle instinctively took a step back and felt something sharp poke her lower back. She turned around and realized one of them had stepped to her and she was pretty sure that was a knife pressed against her.

"I-I'm only a nursing assistant," she lied. "I'm not really trained much on wound care or trauma. I wouldn't be much help."

"You ain't got much of a choice. We come back empty-handed, he and Miss Harley are gonna have our heads."

"But I-," she tried to continue. She was cut off by a roaring engine before she could though. Everyone jumped, including the guy holding the knife against Elle. She cried out as it sank into her lower hip.

"Oops. Sorry, lady."

Oops? He stabs me and says 'oops'. Elle thought as the roaring got closer.

"Shit!" the big one said, "How'd he find us already? Now we're really gonna get in trouble."

Bright headlights illuminated the street.

"We gotta get outta here. I ain't facin' the Bat without the boss or Miss Harley." She heard one of them say.

"We need the girl! Get ready for him!" It was now clear the big guy was the leader. They no longer focused on Elle as the headlights got closer and closer. She moved her hand to cover her wound. She winced and brought her hand up to her face. Her fingers were covered in blood. She thought about how it was sad that her only thought was that she would probably have to go back to the hospital so soon.

The vehicle came to a screeching halt and Elle saw the Batmobile for the first time up close. The doors opened and a black mass shot out of it.

The mass went for the goon in front.

There stood Batman, tall and intimidating in black. He had the guy by the neck.

"Where is Joker hiding?!" he roared.

"We ain't talkin'!" was his reply. Elle gasped when she saw the knife that had stabbed her, get plunged into Batman's shoulder. That's what started the fight.

If Batman felt the pain, he didn't show it. The knife fell to the street when Batman took his arm and twisted. A sickening pop told Elle that he popped the goon's shoulder out of place. In an instant, the rest were on him.

Batman grunted and his head snapped back as someone managed to get a hit to his jaw in. He quickly flipped them and landed a kick to their face, knocking them out.

He immediately went on to the next who had a crowbar waiting for him. Batman quickly grabbed the metal tool and tossed before landing a spin kick.

He quickly got to through three of them, leaving them groaning in pain. He began to face off with the third one. Batman pinned him to the side of the Batmobile.

"I won't ask again! WHERE IS HE?!"

The henchman began laughing. "You know we won't tell." He gave Batman a headbutt, knocking him off. As soon as he was up, he kicked Batman's chest with his heavy boot, slamming Batman against the side of the building.

Elle cried out and moved forward to help when she saw that Batman was now being held at gunpoint. Batman moved to stop her from interfering and three shots rang into the night. Batman clutched his neck and was brought down to his knees.

"Get up!" He shouted at the three who had been taken out. "Get up now! Forget about her! We just killed the Bat! They won't be mad if we come back without her!"

They struggled to get up but took off running. The rain had started coming down harder now and lightening was filling the sky more consistently.

Batman tried standing up, focusing on her. She was calmer than most people he had encountered in similar situations.

"Are you hurt?" She was surprised at how deep his voice was. She knew her hip was going to at least need stitches. All she could focus on was the blood dripping from the gunshot wound in his neck.

"Yes, but not as hurt as you are." She stepped towards him and he stepped back. "My name is Elle. I'm a nurse. You're losing too much blood. Please, let me help you."

"I'll be fine." He said, but then proceeded to sway. Elle rushed forward and tried to help ease him down. Easier said than done. He was almost a foot taller and was pure muscle.

"Ok. Ok, I got you." She tried to soothe. She took her bag and jacket off and held the jacket to his neck. "We need to get you to the hospital or you're going to bleed out."

"No! No hospitals." He said. He tried sitting up, but she pushed him back down.

"Then where? You can't get anywhere on your own and I don't have anything to help you here."

He looked her in the eye for several moments. Her eyes were a piercing pale blue with a dark circle around her irises.

"The car. Help me to the car." He said. He was panting and it was getting harder and harder to keep his eyes open.

Elle looked down at him and then at the Batmobile. She was covered in his blood. She almost hesitated before saying, "Fine, but I'm driving. Can you help me get you up? If we can get you standing, I think I can get you there."

It took some effort, but soon they were in the car. He was breathless from the effort. She was practically in his lap trying to keep the pressure on his neck. His blood was all over her and she knew he didn't have much time.

"I really need you to stay with me. How long until we get to where we can get you help?"

"Seven minutes approximately."

He kept looking at her. She was looking down at his neck with a determination that he sometimes felt when he was trying to protect the city.

"Ok then. Your job is to stay with me until then."

"Behind you. Below the left corner of the screen is a button. Push it." Batman told her.

She turned, wincing in pain. She was reminded she was still hurt and bleeding. Elle pressed the button, leaving a smear of blood.

"Master Bruce, how can I be of assistance?" said a British voice.

"Alfred. Set me en route to home. Be prepared with the medical kit." Batman answered in between pants.

"Oh my. What happened, sir?"

"He has a gunshot to the neck. He's going to need serious medical attention." Elle answered for him.

Alfred became quiet on the other line. "I take it we need to be prepared for company, Sir?"

"Yes, Alfred."

The doors closed and Elle had to brace herself against Batman to keep from falling over due to the breakneck speed the vehicle began traveling at.

"He should stop talking. He's lost a lot of blood and it's not slowing. I have pressure on it, but I don't think it's enough. His artery may have been knicked."

"I will ensure we have blood ready for him for a transfusion as well as IV fluids."

"I'm only a nurse but I think I can manage this. The bullet went clean through."

"Very well Miss-,"

"Elle. My name is Elle. I'm a nurse practitioner at Gotham General."

"Very well Miss Elle. You'll be arriving in about three minutes."

Elle sighed. She wished they would have been there two minutes ago. All she had wanted was to have a nice walk home in the rain after a horrible shift. Now she was straddling Batman's lap, praying he didn't pass out under her from a gunshot wound. It was just her luck that her night ended up this way.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Elle kept steady pressure on his neck. The few minutes felt like hours as they flew towards their destination.

"Do not give up on me. You have to keep your eyes open." She demanded as she noticed his eyes rolling back.

_Batman can NOT die on me. I cannot be the medical professional who let Batman die. _

She was so focused on talking to him, she didn't even realize that the car had stopped. The door lifted and she looked up, half prepared to fight.

"Miss Elle, thank you," said the British voice she had heard over the car speaker. The voice belonged to a slightly elderly man, dressed in a tailored white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black slacks. "Shall we move him?"

Elle looked back down. Blood continued to stream steadily from under her fingers. "We need to hurry. I can fix it, I just need to do it quickly."

"Very well. If you crouch on next to him, I should be able to help you lift him. Is he conscious?"

"Yes, Alfred. I'm awake. I can get up on my own," Batman panted.

Elle was tossed to the side unceremoniously as he hauled himself up from the car. Elle hovered anxiously as he staggered out. Alfred was ready though and caught him when he fell and Elle moved quickly to help.

"I need him lying flat. Where are we taking him?"

"Right this way. I have already readied your supplies."

They led Batman to a stainless steel table. Alfred and Elle grunted with the effort of heaving his body onto the table while he moaned in pain. Once situated, Elle's brain immediately went into a business-only mode.

"I need you to go back to applying pressure while I start the transfusion. The bleeding has slowed significantly, but he has still lost too much blood."

She took off his gloves and tried rolling up his sleeves, which didn't budge.

"I need this off. I'm going to need access to his arms and his neck."

"Miss Elle..I-I'm afraid that may not be possible," Alfred said, looking at Bruce.

"No." Batman panted. "Absolutely not. Help if you can, but the cowl stays on."

Elle grabbed his face with both hands to try and make eye contact.

"Listen to me. It will be incredibly easy to fix this if you let me. I don't give two shits who you are under the mask, but I damn well know that the Batman dying on my watch and because of his own damn stubbornness would really suck."

He looked back at her and she saw his jaw tense.

"…Fine." He surrendered.

"Thank you." Elle looked back up at Alfred. "Can you help me take it off? We really need the IV in him now."

"Of course, Miss."

They quickly began to undress his upper body. Alfred grabbed for the cowl and lifted.

"Gently. I don't want to cause more tearing to his neck." Elle said softly. She moved her hands under his hand and cradled it while the infamous mask was removed.

Bruce Wayne hissed in pain as he felt searing into his neck. He clenched his eyes shut, trying not to react. He felt his head being gently laid down onto the table.

"We need to lift you now. I want you to sit up and lean on me while pulls the top off. Then we fix you." Elle assured him.

_Holy shit. Batman is Bruce Wayne_ Elle thought. She was channeling every ounce of professionalism in her to keep her from reacting. She smoothed back his sweat-slicked black hair.

"When you're ready, give me your hand and we'll help you. Do NOT try to do it on your own."

He nodded and grabbed her hand. Elle looked back up at Alfred and nodded, letting him know he was ready. With a grunt from all three, they sat Bruce up. He groaned and rested his head against Elle's shoulder. They made quick work of his top. His arm was exposed to her and before the two men had time to question it, Bruce was hooked up to fluids and blood.

"There. This should help you start feeling a bit more energy. Now, I need to clean your wound and then stitch you. Should we find you some sedatives before we start?" She looked at Bruce who was giving her a flat stare. "Right. Batman. I'm sure you don't mind the pain. I'm also sure that I don't need to tell you this, but please keep still. I'm about to take a needle to your neck."

Before she even needed to ask, she was given antiseptic and clean gauze. She made quick work of cleaning and then Alfred was ready with the suture kit. She mumbled a thank you and got to work. She wasn't a surgeon, but her sutures were neat and clean.

"I'll need a bowl of clean warm water and more gauze." She said without looking up from her work.

Bruce watched her face as she worked over him. Her face was set and stern. Her blue eyes were hard as steel and full of determination and focus.

"You're a doctor." He stated.

"No. I'm an advanced practice registered nurse, and you are supposed to be being still." She said quietly.

Alfred came back right after she finished up. She grabbed the gauze and dipped it in the warm water. With soft touches, she began to wipe the blood from him.

"It's harder to get off once it dries and you make not feel like exfoliating tonight."

Her touch was soothing to him. Featherlight, almost.

"Thank you, Miss Elle. Your help is truly appreciated." Alfred stated.

"It's really no problem. It's the least I can do after you saved me. I meant what I said, too. My lips are sealed." She had finished wiping off the blood and was dabbing antiseptic onto the wound. "You were lucky. It was a bleeder but should heal up just fine. You should take it easy for a few days so it can start healing on its own."

Bruce narrowed his eyes as he noticed her voice started sounding more and more fatigued. "Were you hurt?" he asked bluntly.

Elle nodded her head. "You scared the one behind me. He accidentally got me with his knife." She said. She had finished her work and Bruce was now sporting a nice bandage wrapping around his entire neck.

"You're pale and your lips are turning blue." He informed her. "Alfred."

Alfred went around the table to inspect her. Now that she thought of it, she wasn't feeling too great. She was running on almost no sleep and had had a less than relaxing evening.

"A stab wound indeed, Master Bruce. I believe her care shall be next."

Elle stood up and started washing her hands in the bowl. "I'm ok. It's superficial, I think."

"She's going into shock, Alfred." Bruce said, standing from the table. The tubes and needles were still connected to him.

The bowl fell from her hands and she stumbled. Before she could grab anything, she fell and the world faded black. She felt arms wrap around her and the voice of Alfred scolding before everything else faded away.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The room was quiet except for the noise coming from the traffic outside. Elle was slowly coming back to consciousness and was already being greeted by one hell of a headache. She opened her eyes and groaned when the light pouring into her living room caused her headache to pound her skull. She immediately shut her eyes and lifted her arm over her face.

After laying there on her couch for a bit, she came to a realization; she didn't remember coming home last night.

She sat straight up and cried out when a blinding pain in her side flared. She moaned and clutched at a bandage that now covered the skin there while memories from the previous night flooded her mind.

_That's right. I was attacked last night, and he saved me...He saved me and got hurt…_

She replayed the memories in her head, sitting on her couch and biting her lower lip. She remembered her heart racing as he bled. She remembered how she silently thanked whatever higher power that his injury wasn't as bad as it could have been. And most of all, she remembered who he was under the mask.

She had no intention of telling anyone. She would treat her findings the same way she would treat any other patient with a secret that wasn't hers to share. No, the Bat didn't need to worry about her telling anyone what she knew.

Pushing her hair out of her face, she took stock. She was still covered in blood, both of their blood. She looked around and saw her bag sitting on the kitchen table with a white card on top of it. Standing slowly, she attempted to cross the room. Her body was sore and stiff, and each step made her stab wound burn.

She made it to her bag and picked up the card. It was plain white cardstock with no embossing on it.

_Thank you - B.W._

She was surprised, to say the least. She really didn't expect that. Part of her was sure both of them would go on and pretend nothing happened.

She lifted her bag and started going through it, hoping everything was all there. She found her work badge, her laptop, her set of keys, her extra set of scrubs, her cell phone…Where was her wallet?

She sighed as she remembered she had stuffed it in her jacket pocket before leaving the hospital.

_Well, that's just awesome. I probably dropped it or it's still in the jacket. _

She thought about her options. She could replace everything that was in there, but that would be a pain in the ass. She could go back to where the attack happened, but she didn't feel like going through the hassle of retracing every one of her steps today.

Elle looked at the white card and picked it up again. Maybe she could try there first. The last place she saw the wallet was for sure the jacket, and the last place she saw the jacket was for sure pressed against Bruce's bleeding neck. She huffed and realized she would be making a trip to his home today.

Holding her side, she went to her medicine cabinet and took out some over the counter pain relievers. She grabbed three and swallowed them without water. She hoped it would help the headache and everything else.

She went to her bathroom and looked in her mirror. Her hair was wild and would be a nightmare to deal with. The rain had made it a bit wavy, which she knew meant there would be a million knots just waiting to be found by a brush. Just looking at it made her want to cut the almost waist-length black mane off.

Luckily, she didn't look injured. Her face looked a bit pale and very tired, but a shower would help with that, hopefully. She wouldn't have questions asked of her at work and wouldn't need to take time off.

She began stripping her clothes off. Her skin had a film of dried blood in most places. Once down to her underwear, she peeled off the bandage and turned around to inspect the damage in the mirror. Pulling her hair over her shoulder, she saw she had been stitched up. It was a bit sloppy and would scar, but it was still well done. She wondered if they were used to stitching up wounds.

She turned on her shower and felt the water as it began to heat. The room filled with steam and she inhaled deeply and immediately started feeling better. A shower was just what she needed. She got under the warm water after peeling off her underwear and sighed as it washed over her. The water ran red as she cleaned off and removed the night from her. Elle stayed in there until the water started to turn cold.

Getting ready was fun. Her hair took longer to brush and dry since one arm could only be raised so high at the moment without wincing in pain. Elle then realized that all of her jeans had a waistline that sat right on her stitches. She settled on a short sleeve azure blue dress that fell just below her knees. The beauty of this dress is it looked like she tried even though she hadn't.

Her phone pinged with a text message as she slipped on her gray flats. She grabbed it off the table and saw it was from Aaron.

_The little girl you saved is being discharged today. I thought you'd like to know that she is going to be fine and was given a clean bill of health. _

Elle smiled at the message, complete with a picture of a smiling girl with a teddy bear from the gift shop and responded with a quick 'thanks' for his update. She grabbed her things from her work bag, stuffed them into her purse and left.

Paranoia sunk in as soon as she stepped into the hall. She couldn't help looking over her shoulder as she quickly made her way to the entrance of the parking garage. She ran to her car and locked the doors as soon as she got in. She couldn't help but think about the possibility of them coming back for her. They wanted her for a specific purpose, and she didn't do what they wanted. She was well aware of who they worked for. Elle knew very well what the Joke and Harley Quinn were capable of.

She drove off, heading towards outer Gotham. It was pure luck she didn't get a speeding ticket. She was still looking into her mirrors when she pulled up to the enormous black iron gated entrance of Wayne Estate. Elle started to think she hadn't thought this through since she wasn't sure how to actually get into the property when the gate began to open. Driving forward, she thought it was best to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

She parked in the round-a-bout and headed up the front steps. Before she even got close to the door to knock, Alfred had it opened and was ready for her.

"Miss Elle. What a wonderful surprise. Please, do come in." He stepped aside and let her in. Elle had an awestruck expression on her face as she began to take in the interior of the manor.

"I…Um…I'm sorry to barge in unannounced. I was just hoping you might be able to help me with something. I seem to have lost my wallet, which was in the jacket I had last night." She explained.

"No need to apologize. I haven't had a chance of cleaning the house completely yet. Maybe Master Bruce has seen it. Let's go ask, shall we?" He began walking towards the staircase.

"Wait. He's awake? He should be resting. I really don't want to disturb him."

"Master Bruce is quite stubborn, Miss Elle. You'll find that resting is not in his nature." He sounded a bit exasperated with Bruce. "Right this way, please."

He led her into a room and began tinkering with an antique grandfather clock. He closed its window after resetting the time and a door that had not been there before opened.

"After you, Miss." Said Alfred, like this was completely normal. He stepped in after her and the door closed behind them. "With any luck, your wallet is either in the car or still in the jacket. I don't think he has cleaned it up yet and I haven't."

"That's honestly what I'm hoping." She said distractedly as they descended below the manor. She was in awe. The difference between what she was seeing now was completely different from what she had seen in the main area of the mansion. But that was the point, wasn't it?

The lift stopped after what felt like an eternity. Alfred led her out and she recognized the large area they were in last night.

He sat in a chair in front of multiple screens, quiet and studious.

"Alfred, I still can't pinpoint where exactly the Joker would have hidden those kids." Said Bruce, without turning from the screen.

"Ahem," Alfred cleared his throat, "We have a visitor, Master Bruce." Bruce spun around in his chair, with a somewhat shocked expression. He was dressed casually in a well-fitting black t-shirt and black sweatpants. His neck was covered with a clean bandage. "It seems that Miss Elle has lost her wallet and it was in the jacket that stopped your bleeding last night."

Elle's face was tinged pink. She couldn't help but think that he probably didn't want to see her after he had been exposed. However, he just gave her an intense look and then stood.

"Her jacket was put in the washroom to burn later. Check there and I'll look in the car with her."

"Of course, Master Bruce. Perhaps I'll bring down a spot of tea as well." He said, giving Elle a look.

"Yes, please. Thank you." She said, giving the older man a soft smile.

He gave Bruce and Elle a nod and left them in almost awkward silence.

Bruce turned to the car, not waiting for her. "Is there anything important in your wallet?" He asked.

"My ID is what I'm most concerned about. It will be a pain to replace everything else, but everything else doesn't have my address on it. After last night, I'd rather not have that information floating around." she told him honestly.

"No one can blame you for that." He stood next to a podium and pressed a few things on a screen there. The legendary Batmobile began to descend from its storage place above them. Bruce stuffed his hands in the pocket of his sweats while they waited.

"I…Um…I also wanted to thank you. I was pretty lucky you were looking for Joker last night." She said nervously, twisting the end of her hair.

"You don't need to thank me, Elle. You ended up returning the favor. I'm sorry you ended up getting hurt." He ran his hand through his black hair.

"I'm actually not hurt that bad. It's kind of embarrassing that I passed out, though." She said with a nervous laugh.

The car had settled, and the door opened. He moved forward and started looking through the car.

"So, you're feeling better then?" he said as he searched.

"Yeah. Sore, but better. How about you? You were much worse than me. You should still be resting."

"I'm fine, Nurse Deveraux. No need to worry. Your wallet, however, is still missing in action." He said, closing the door.

"Well…crap." Elle sighed.

"If you're worried about someone looking for you, I can set your place up with some security." Bruce offered. It came out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He didn't need to insert himself in this woman's life more than necessary. He couldn't help it though. She stood in front of him and wanting nothing more than to keep her safe from anything that could harm her.

"You really don't need to do that. I'm just being paranoid."

"Consider it done. You really have nothing to worry about."

She bit her lip, thinking the gesture was too much. "Thank you." She looked around and the photos on the screens caught her eye. "He's kidnapping kids now?"

Bruce came up behind her. He moved so quietly that she didn't even know he was there until he spoke.

"Yes. We don't know why or where he is hiding them. Six children were all taken from their homes in Gotham with his calling card left at the scene. I tried to get answers from him before Harley Quinn helped him escape. All I managed to get out of him is that he needs them alive."

"Tried to get answers? That's why they needed me." She said, still looking at the photos of the smiling young faces.

"Needed you?"

She turned and nearly bumped right into him. She had to look up at him due to their height difference. "They said they were taking me to him. They saw me leaving the hospital in my scrubs. His guys said Harley had sent them to get someone like me to help him."

"Knowing that we really need to make sure your home is secure. Just in case. I'm pretty sure they know you left with me and they know I was hurt. We don't need them connecting the dots. Harley's favorite game is revenge."

Elle shivered at the thought. She had personally seen some of the aftermaths of both Harley and Joker's games.

Bruce placed a hand on her arm. "You're protected. Don't be worried."

She looked up at studied him a bit. It was then she noticed that his stitches had bled through the gauze. "You should let me look at that." She said, nodding towards his bandage.

"It's fine." He said, brushing her off.

"They shouldn't be bleeding still. I just want to make sure it's ok."

He sighed and relented. Bruce sat in his computer chair and tilted his head, giving her access.

"Where are your medical supplies?" She asked, wanting to check it properly this time.

He leaned down and pulled a cabinet out from under the desk. She rifled through it and found gloves, antiseptic and fresh materials to bandage him. Donning the gloves, she bent over him. She tried to be as gentle as possible, worried he might be tender.

"Kids are the worst part of the job." She mumbled, finding a distraction for both of them. "Bad things shouldn't happen to them. They should be left ignorant of how harsh the world can be."

"Yeah. I agree. I'm going to do everything to find them. But I know they'll never sleep alone in a room without being terrified for a long time, if ever." He said. His expression turned sad and something twisted in Elle's gut.

"Yeah, but they'll also get to say they were rescued by the Batman. Speaking from experience, that's pretty cool." She said, trying to lighten his mood. He stayed quiet.

"I'll keep an ear out at the hospital. You'd be surprised how many of the lower level lackeys end up in our E.R. to get fixed up after they anger their bosses or have a run-in with you."

"I'd appreciate that."

"Can I ask you something?" she said suddenly, as she dabbed his stitches with antiseptic.

"Ask. I might answer."

"Who stitched me up? And how did you know where I lived." She had stopped to look him in the eye, letting him know she expected an answer.

Bruce looked right back into her blue eyes and smiled when he saw the determination there. "Alfred stitched you up. I would have, but it would have been a lot sloppier. While he was doing that, I hacked the hospital's file. They had your address on record. Alfred observed you to make sure you were ok for a few hours and we drove you home. I would have changed your clothes, but I don't think you would be ok with that."

Elle blushed and nodded. "Yeah. I appreciate that."

She was taping the fresh bandage to him when Alfred came back down.

"Miss Elle, I'm afraid your wallet wasn't in the jacket," Alfred announced.

"Well, I guess we tried." She said, sounding defeated.

"Alfred, would you prepare lunch. I'd like to talk to Elle about security measures while we eat."

"Of course, Master Bruce. I'll have it ready shortly."

"Thank you, Alfred." Answered both Bruce and Elle.

Bruce sat back down in front of the screens and started pulling up images of her building's blueprints.

_Well okay, then. I guess he's protecting me now_. She thought as he started looking over everything.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bruce didn't know what the hell he was doing. This woman knew his secret. She was a liability to him and possibly even Dick. There was just something about her though. He watched her as Alfred led them to the sunroom for lunch. She had looked ready to fight when he showed up last night. She was tiny, too tiny to have been able to fight all of them. When he saw the look in her eyes, he knew she had no plans of letting anyone know she wouldn't win.

Her eyes on their own were an enigma. He could have easily made it home without her. But the look in her ice-blue eyes made him feel safe. They showed kindness and held a look of steel that made him want, need, to comply with her. Alfred could have easily stitched him up. It would have been sloppier than how she did it, but he had done it a million times before.

The black-haired woman in the blue dress was dangerous, and for some reason, he invited her to stay for lunch.

Elle was smiling at something Alfred said. She was taking in the sunroom, it plants, and the view of the garden outside. Bruce pulled out a chair for her that gave her a nice view of the garden.

"Thank you," she said softly. She twisted her hair and brought it around one shoulder. The landscaping was incredibly beautiful. Everything was emerald green and lush. What she wouldn't give to be able to curl up in this room on a rainy day with a good book.

She was brought back to reality by the sound of Bruce's voice. "Did you want a glass of wine?"

"Oh, no thank you. Water will be fine. I'm not much of a drinker." She said honestly.

"Neither am I." He agreed.

They let the silence envelop them for a moment before Elle decided to break it. "Your secret is safe. My patient's confidentiality is important to me."

Bruce folded his hands under his chin. At that moment, he very much looked like the powerful billionaire CEO she knew from the public.

"I thank you for that. To continue to do what I do, no one must know." He told her seriously.

"So, the public image of the rich playboy is all fake?" she asked smiling.

He chuckled and nodded. "Yes. I don't exactly have time to juggle women."

Elle blushed as Alfred walked into the room with two trays. He sat them down and revealed the plate of grilled lemon salmon, asparagus and rosemary potatoes.

"Thank you, Alfred. This looks great." Bruce announced as he unfolded his hands to place his napkin in his lap. Elle followed suite, thanking him as well.

"Always a pleasure." Alfred was apparently not the type to bask in compliments. He quickly poured them some ice water from a pitcher. "If you'd like more, I'll be in the kitchen. Just ring Master Bruce, Miss Elle."

He left them alone to enjoy their meal. Elle was glad her stomach didn't growl embarrassingly. It smelled amazing. She even moaned when the first taste of the salmon hit her tongue.

"Cooking is definitely one of his superpowers. This is incredible."

"I've never had a meal of his that I didn't enjoy."

They ate their meal in mostly silence, but it was comfortable this time. Bruce pushed his plate away when he finished and waited patiently for her.

"What is your next step to finding the kids?" She asked while finishing her potatoes.

"I'm not sure. I've checked his usual haunts. Nothing. Not even any clues. It's beginning to get frustrating." He sighed.

"Six kids are a lot to hide. Children are loud and opinionated. At least one would be screaming. I'm betting it would be the three-year-old. He'd have to have them somewhere he could easily control them if need be." She said slowly as she thought it through.

"You're right." He agreed.

She was getting ready to respond when a yell echoed through the manor.

"Alfred?! You here? I'm starving!"

"Master Dick, really. We have company. I'd prefer it if they didn't think you were raised by heathens." Alfred said with a bit of irritation.

Elle was smiling when she caught Bruce rolling his eyes.

"Company? Since when do people come here?" said a boy walking by. He stopped when saw the sunroom was occupied.

"Oh, hey Bruce." He said cheerfully. The boy was slim with dark hair. He was obviously a teenager in high school. He was still sporting his Gotham Academy uniform.

"Dick. I hope school went well today."

"School was school. As always." He shrugged it off, letting it be known he was already bored with the topic.

"Dick this is Elenore Devereaux. Dick is my ward. I guess I lost track of time and didn't realize it was around the time he usually gets home from school." Bruce stood and introduced her. A bit of shock ran through Elle as he used her full name.

Elle followed and stood next to Bruce. She extended her hand Dick, smiling warmly. "Please, call me Elle. It's nice to meet you."

Dick shook her hand. He seemed like an overall happy teenaged kid.

"Dick is my ward. He's been with me for a while now," he explained.

Elle didn't miss the way Dick's eyes narrowed just a tad bit before he covered the expression. He didn't seem to like the word 'ward', and she didn't blame him. It sounded so detached.

"How did this old man manage to get a beautiful girl like you to give him any attention?" flirted Dick.

Elle laughed loudly and Bruce looked anything but amused. "I'm pretty sure I'm a hell of a lot closer to his age than yours."

"That may be true, but I'm cuter and I smile more." He kept teasing at Bruce's expense. She liked this kid. He wasn't being serious, but he could tell he had a gift for making people laugh.

"Dick I'm sure you have some homework or something else you could be doing other than harassing her," grunted Bruce. Elle bit her lip to keep her laugh from bubbling out.

"Okay, okay, okay. I'll take the hint. I'll go get my food from Alfred and make myself scarce."

"You really don't need to do that Dick. I was just getting ready to head out." Elle said, trying to play peacekeeper.

"No worries. He's right. I have a mountain of homework. It was really nice meeting you. Hopefully, I get to see you again soon." Dick took off before she could say anything else.

"He's quite the charmer. He seems like a really good kid." She turned back around to face Bruce. She caught a brief glimpse of pride as he looked towards the direction Dick had just headed.

"He is. He can be a handful, but he's a good kid." Bruce looked down at Elle and smiled. "If you're ready, I can walk you out."

"Thank you."

They walked side by side through the manor, to the front door. Whenever he saw her eyes linger on something, he would tell her the history behind it, leaving her fascinated. When they reached the front door, he handed her purse.

"I'll go back to where I found you tonight and see if your wallet is there. Your security system will be installed tomorrow sometime. You'll be safe."

"Bruce, you really don't need to go through the trouble. I'm just being paranoid. I spend more time at work than I do at home anyway." She felt like his gestures were too much.

"Better safe than sorry."

"Well, thank you. Again. For everything," she said shyly, tucking her hair behind her hair. "I should be going. Come see me later this week to look at your neck. I want to make sure infection hasn't set in. I'm working nights the rest of the week."

He raised an eyebrow at her and before he could refuse, she was ready with a rebuttal. "If you don't come to me, I'll be forced to come here, which is incredibly out of my way. It would just be so much easier if you stopped by while you were in the city."

He narrowed her eyes and nodded his head once. "I'll see you later this week."

She smiled and walked down the steps to her car. She had only gotten about fifty feet past the gate when her phone pinged, letting her know she had a text. It was her boss letting her know the hospital was severely short-staffed today and they needed her to fill in.

She groaned out loud. So much for the blissful nap she was thinking about taking. Instead of heading home, she went straight to the hospital. Half of her was excited that she didn't have to sit at home and feel the fear and paranoia creep in.

Her phone pinged again and this time, she smiled when she read it.

_Text or call this number if you need anything. -B.W._

Batman and Robin sat on the roof of Wayne Tower, surveying the city below them with high tech binoculars. They had been searching the city all night for signs of Joker, Harley, or their henchmen. Nothing had come to the surface which was leaving Batman was feeling more and more frustrated.

"So, are we not going to talk about her?" Dick asked curiously.

"No. Stay focused," was his gruff answer.

"She's beautiful. And Alfred said she's a nurse. So that means she's smart. Are you going to see her again?" He kept going, ignoring his mentor's unwillingness to discuss Elle.

"Robin! Pay attention!"

"Relax. I'm still searching. Doesn't mean we can't talk about it."

"Because I said we weren't talking about it, it means we aren't talking about it."

Robin smiled. "So, you admit that there's something to talk about though."

His mentor sighed at this comment. "I helped her, she helped me and now the Joker might be after her. It's our job to make sure that doesn't happen. We don't get involved. It's dangerous and a distraction."

Robin put his binoculars down and looked at the man he had idolized for so long. "I get what you're saying. I really do. I don't agree with it though. Just because we have a job, doesn't mean we have to be alone. Even if you don't want to try with Elle, you should try with someone."

Batman stayed silent as he continued to search.

"You didn't find her wallet?" Robin asked, switching the subject.

"No. Worst case scenario is that Joker's guys came back and found it. We won't take chances. You and Alfred are installing her security system tomorrow."

"Understood."

They were quiet for several more moments as the city hustled below them.

"There! I have eyes on Harley Quinn. She looks like she just left the narrows," exclaimed Robin.

"Then we head that way. I want every place there searched."

They leaped off the building at the same time. Using their grapples, they were there within 15 minutes. The Narrows were filled with the scum of Gotham. It's not his usual hiding spot but Batman wouldn't be shocked to find him there.

"Keep your eyes open Robin. We have more than one enemy on this turf."

Robin nodded his head in understanding. They perched up high again and started their search. This time, Robin remained quiet. It didn't take long before they spotted a clown mask. They look at each other before descending. He was sitting on the front steps of a condemned building. They slipped in a window quietly, hiding in the shadows.

They began searching hoping for a sign of the kids. The building was filthy with evidence of rats everywhere. Robin walked over to a closet and opened it, discovering a secret door.

"Batman." He whispered, grabbing his attention.

They opened the door and were shocked by what they saw. The walls were lined with steel cages, typically used for feral animals. In the corner sat a pile of kids' clothing. Robin held them up and immediately felt depression as he realized he was holding a small set of footie pajamas with teddy bears' faces and ears on the feet.

Batman reached for the pajamas. "This is what the parents described the youngest victim wearing when she was taken. Chloe Kate. She would be three years old in a few months. Batman had every intention of making sure she was home for that.

A door opened from below and Batman and Robin sunk into the shadows. The man in the clown mask that was outside, came into the room and flopped on a dirty mattress that sat in a corner by the cages. He closed his eyes, intending to fall asleep until someone called him with his next orders. He never got to dreamland. He felt as though he was being watched. When he opened his eyes, he saw the Bat hovering over him.

He screamed and tried to scramble away but before he could, Batman grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. Rats could be heard scattering in fear.

"Where did they take the children!?" Batman Roared.

"I don't know! I swear! They won't tell us where they take the kids after we grab them! I'd tell ya! Honest!"

"You don't know how to be honest." Batman sneered.

"I promise I don't know anything. The boss took the kids in a truck after you hurt him. He told us to listen to Miss Harley while he was away. She's been lookin' for the girl who wouldn't help us make him better."

Batman and Robin's eyes narrowed in anger. Robin beat his mentor to the million-dollar question. "What does Harley Quinn know about the girl?"

"Not much. She was really mad at us for not bringin' her back. She almost set Bud and Lou on us. All she knows is she works at Gotham General."

The two heroes looked at each other before Batman punched the clown unconscious.

"We're going to her apartment. You'll set up security. If she's not there, I'll go find her."

Batman left the room and jumped out of the window before Robin could respond.


End file.
